Our Team

All staff at Unity work tirelessly to provide the very highest levels of customer care. This is led by our Board & Senior Management Team (SMT).

For more information on the Board & Senior Management Team please click below.

The Board

Unity is led by voluntary Board Members who act in an unpaid capacity and are responsible for the governance of the organisation. The association's rules state that the Board can have up to 13 members and up to one third of the Board may be tenants. In addition, the Board may co-opt up to 5 persons. The Board currently meets on a quarterly cycle and is supported by a further cycle of committee meetings which address specific areas of the business.

If you are interested in becoming a Board member please contact our Corporate Services Team on 0113 200 7741. If you are a tenant and are interested in becoming a Board Member, then please contact Emma Ruane at emma.ruane@unityha.co.uk or call 0113 2007743.

Current Board members comprise;

Karen Morley (Chair)
Karen is currently employed by Pennine Housing 2000 Ltd as Assistant Director of Finance and is a member of their Senior Management Team. Previously Karen spent a considerable number of years employed by the Local Authority's Corporate Finance Directorate where she gained her CIPFA qualification as a graduate trainee and a number of years lecturing in accountancy at the local college. Karen joined the Board in 2003.

Karen joined the Board summer 2003 and had been Chair of Audit and Chair of Finance prior to becoming Chair of the Board in September 2009. Karen worked as Head of Finance for the Trans-Pennine Housing Group until semi retiring in December 2009 and has now set up a consultancy company to undertake finance consultancy work and interim finance positions within housing associations. Karen has a degree in Business Studies and gained her Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy qualification as a graduate trainee with Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council.
Michelle Anderson (Chair of Operations Committee)
Michelle joined the Board in 2006. Michelle works as a Programme Manager within the Regeneration Services of Leeds City Council's Environment & Neighbourhoods Directorate. Previously Michelle worked as the Director of The CASAC (Community Action & Support Against Crime) Partnership Limited for almost 9 years and before that spent 12 years working in housing management for two Leeds based Housing Associations. Michelle is also a JP, a Parent Governor and holds a MA in Public Policy & Management and a Professional Diploma in Housing Studies.
Peter Dickeson (Chair of Unity Enterprise Board)
Peter is Managing Director of an Architecture and Housing Consultancy which specialises in the social sectors. He was formerly a manager with a Housing Consultancy and before that he worked for 11 years as Head of the Development Services department for a large Housing Association. Peter was co-opted onto the Board in 1992, and became a full member in 1997.
Sheila Saunders (Chair of Audit Committee)
Andrea Tara-Chand
Andrea is resident of Chapeltown who joined the Unity Board in the Autumn of 2009. Andrea has a long history of involvement in the voluntary sector with a particular interest in the equality of people from ethnic minority communities and women. In a professional capacity Andrea works for the Leeds Initiative to support the city's leaders to better understand and address issues of deprivation, poverty and inequality, with a particular interest in involving residents and communities in decisions that affect their lives. Academically Andrea has a Masters degree in Policy Studies.
Robert Pitt
Robert has been a member of the Board since 1987. He is employed as the Development Manager at St Anne's Housing Association in Leeds. Previously he worked as a Development Officer for a number of years at North British HA.
Shazia Khan
Sheila Saunders
Sheila joined the Board in 2006. She has 25 years experience of the voluntary housing sector as Chief Executive for Leeds Jewish Housing Association and over the years has worked with a range of social and health care organisations. She has a long history of research and involvement with women's organisations combating male violence, and is also an independent member of the West Yorkshire Police Authority and Chair's St Anne's Community Services.
Terence Holness
Terence works full time for the Leeds Youth Service as a Senior Youth Worker and has also worked in schools as a mentor. In his spare time he volunteers at Chapeltown Football Youth Development Centre where he helps to manage an U16 football squad and supports the running of the centre. Terence holds a Diploma in Youth and Community Studies as well as a Diploma as a Connexions Advisor and Level 1 Coach in Football and Basketball.
Tim Yeardley
Tim is currently a senior manager employed by the Lloyds Banking Group and has worked in private and public sectors. He has previously worked for a Training and Enterprise Council in South London, Lloyds of London insurance market, London Transport, Charles Stanley stockbrokers, and St Johns Ambulance. He has experience of strategic planning, financial management, leadership and risk evaluation. He gained an MBA in 2007 and joined the Board as an Observer in 2008.
Tom English
Tom English joined the Board in 2009. He currently works for Chevin Housing Association as their Financial Inclusion Officer and has worked in the social housing sector for the past two years. Tom has a Masters' degree in Housing Policy and Practice and a Bachelors' degree in History and Social Policy. Prior to undertaking his undergraduate degree, Tom lived in Madagascar for two years where he undertook a voluntary service mission in association with the Church that he attends.
Wayne Noteman
Wayne was appointed Interim Regeneration Director in April 2010. Before joining Unity he has held a number of posts including Senior Projects Manager (Firebird JVC), Housing Projects Manager (Bradford Trident NDC) and was New Initiatives Manager for Leeds City Council.

After over 20 years in housing regeneration he has extensive knowledge of the sector and serves on the Boards of Horton Housing, Bradford YouthBuild and was previously a Board Member for Bradford Community Housing Trust

There is a separate Unity Enterprise Board.

This is comprised of:

Peter Dickeson (Chair)
Chris Hill
Alex Sobel
Ali Akbor
Andrea Tara-Chand
Gurdev Singh Dahele
Robert Pitt

Senior Management Team

The Board delegates day to day management of the association to the Chief Executive who works with a management team in achieving this. The senior members of the management team are:

Ali Akbor MSc CPFA - Chief Executive
Ali was appointed in January 1999. Before joining Unity he was at the City of Salford as Head of Finance for the Community and Social Services Directorate. He has extensive organisation and financial experience, and has worked with Housing Associations for many years, having been a Board Member for two other Housing Associations. He is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).
Parveen Sidhu BSc (Hons) - Operations Director & Deputy Chief Executive
Parveen joined Unity in February 2005 and successfully project managed Unity’s Audit Commission Inspection on the Housing Management and Maintenance Services. Parveen has a proven track record in social housing, with her previous roles including working as an Area Manager between 2001 and 2003 for a Local Authority and subsequently as Head of Operations. In 2004 she led on rewards and loyalty, website development and marketing as Head of Intouch Services, for a large LSVT.